Album Review: Cheap Trick – “Bang, Zoom, Crazy… Hello”

Cheap Trick are one of those bands who should really need no introduction to readers of this ‘ere webzine. Influential for everyone from Ginger Wildheart to Enuff Z’Nuff, this is the first album in seven years from Chicago’s finest exponents of glam-pop. A long break to be sure, but when it comes roaring out of the traps with the storming Heart On The Line, any queries as to whether they’ve still got it should be swiftly blown out of the window. Frenetic backbeat, a none-more-catchy chorus (that cheekily half-inches from the Trick’s ’70s megahit Surrender) and a ripper of a guitar solo from Rick Nielsen. Yup, we’re in for a good one here it would seem, as rammed home by the strutting No Direction Home which follows it straight after.

When I Wake Up Tomorrow is a more mid-paced Beatles-esque number, while Blood Red Lips sounds like The Sweet covering The Beatles’ Revolution. And yes, that is a good thing before you ask.

Thereafter the hits that should be keep coming thick and fast, from the stomping Roll Me through the twisting Aerosmith riff on Long Time No See Ya to the Roxy Music inspired In Crowd. By the time they bring proceedings to a close with the one-two of The Sun Never Sets (which has the sort of big anthemic arena-sized chorus that The Darkness used to do so well back in the day), and the sky-surfing Strung Out, you’re in no doubt that Bang, Zoom, Crazy… Hello is well deserving of a place up there with Cheap Trick’s best.

Final Thoughts

There's plenty of bands who've been in the game since the '70s who would be phoning in their albums by now, but I'm happy to say that Cheap Trick are definitely not one of them. Bang, Zoom, Crazy... Hello is up there with their best stuff, with nary a bad track on it. If you're a long time fan then this is reassuring proof that this band are still very much still firing on all cylinders, if you're a new convert then it's an excellent gateway to get into their stuff through.

About The Author

Yorkshire born, Yorkshire bred, now living in exile in Hertfordshire. One time rock 'n' roll hellraiser now living a slightly quieter life but still trying to get out to see decent rock 'n' roll and listen to awesome new bands whenever the opportunity presents itself. Lives to take the rip, dies from retaliation...